Nothing is better than a pot of cozy soup and this is a favorite.
Hearty and healthy, this vegetable soup recipe has a rainbow of vegetables, including carrots, cabbage and zucchini, cooked in a flavorful broth.
Naturally low in fat and calories, it’s the perfect lunch, snack, or starter!
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A Feel Good Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Quick & Delicious: This veggie soup recipe is fast to prepare and it’s both delicious and healthy!
- Low Cal & Low Carb: Since it’s so veggie packed, it’s filling and low in calories (only 52 calories per 1 cup). It’s 0 points if you follow Weight Watchers, it’s low carb and keto friendly too!
- Versatile: Add the veggies listed below or your own favorite vegetables.
Ingredients in Vegetable Soup
This is the ultimate soup for any kind of add-in. It will still turn out perfect!
Broth or Stock – We use either beef broth or chicken broth but you can use any homemade stock or broth or vegetable broth if you prefer.
Veggies – A variety of vegetables make this soup fun and flavorful. The cabbage adds bulk and fills your belly. If you’re not a fan of cabbage, you can most certainly substitute kale or spinach. Keep in mind that kale will add more bulk and spinach will shrink down quite a bit.
- Low Carb Veggies: Cabbage, beans, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, celery
- Starchy Veggies: Carrots, potatoes or sweet potatoes (may need longer to cook), corn, green peas.
Add your favorite seasonings. Minced garlic, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and basil add a subtle flavor to the soup that complements the vegetables. Optional additions include red pepper flakes or a squeeze of lemon juice.
More Soup-er Add-Ins
Homemade vegetable soup is so versatile!
- Protein: Add fresh or leftover proteins like chicken, ground beef, or sausage.
- Legumes: Keep it vegetarian and add white beans, chickpeas, or your favorite cooked/canned beans.
- Grains: Hearty grains like barley or pasta like rotini, shells, or fun bowties will also make this a new dish every time!
How to Make Vegetable Soup
Homemade vegetable soup is perfect for make-ahead lunches or batch cooking. I learned to make this healthy soup recipe years ago and it’s always a staple in our kitchen.
- Cook garlic & onion according to the recipe below.
- Cook the firmer vegetables until tender. Add the broth and seasonings.
- The softer vegetables and & simmer. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Serving Suggestion: Serve soup with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese or a small dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Storing Veggie Soup
If you’re trying to cut calories it’s perfect to have in your fridge ready to enjoy when you need a healthy snack or a quick meal!
This soup reheats well so mix up a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week!
Keep vegetable soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze chilled soup in zippered bags or a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Reheat or thaw directly on the stovetop.
More Veggie Packed Soups
Did you make this Vegetable Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage approximately ¼ head of cabbage
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 bell peppers red, yellow, or green, chopped
- 2 cups cauliflower florets or broccoli florets
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- 6 cups reduced sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- black pepper to taste
- 2 cups sliced zucchini
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, & green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in bell peppers, cauliflower, undrained tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add in zucchini, simmer an additional 5 minutes or until softened.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This is NOT medical advice. This recipe is provided for informational purposes and enjoyment only. Eating this soup doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Before starting any weight loss program, be sure to consult your doctor.
NOTE: Nutritional information is auto-generated and is based on the quantities, amounts, and brands of products I used in this recipe. Actual amounts may vary based on your preparation and the products used. For informational purposes only, this is not medical information or advice.
you could also add rutabaga if you like would add to it.
The brilliance of this recipe is that the soup isn’t over cooked. The more you cook food, you remove the life-force from the food that makes you live longer. Very nice.
Hi! I was wondering if there was something I can use in place of the tomato (both the diced and the paste)? Sadly, we can’t use tomato.
Thank you for any suggestions!
Just made a huge batch of this & I have to say YUMMMMMMMM!
I didn’t measure anything out, just dumped. Added some red pepper flakes & 2 more bay leaves. I don’t think you could put anything in it to even try to make it taste bad. Thank you so much for sharing this.
So glad you liked it!
I will be making this soup this week end. Need to get some veggies home. I will be trying it with chicken broth and left over chicken. So looking forward to it :)
Enjoy! Chicken will be great with it!
I love veggies and with fall around the corner, I feel this soup is an easy fix. I followed the recipe exactly, it was easy to prepare and fast to cook. It has a great flavor. I also love it’s low in calories and a diet freebie!
To add more spice, I add lemon and tapatio to my bowl.
I want to freeze this for meals and snacks ahead of time. How long can I store this is the freezer & fridge?
I am so glad you liked the recipe! This soup will freeze well for several months, if it lasts that long :D
In the fridge, I would not leave it more than 3 days for freshness.
Wow. This is going to be a regular fixin’ at our house. Such a fan…
Glad to hear! We love it!
My husband and I love this soup! However I do love to make recipes my own. I omitted the thyme and basil. I substitute green beans for Garbanza (chick peas). I also omitted the tomato paste since my husband cannot have so much tomatoes. I substituted diced tomatoes for rotel. The perfect recipe!!! Thanks for sharing your recipes!
I am so glad you were able to make this recipe work for your families needs and preferences!
My husband loves this soup. He asked me to make it a weekly staple in our home.
I am so glad your family likes the recipe Mary!
Have made this soup several times and love it. My hubby likes it a little spicy so I sometimes add a quarter teaspoon of chilli flakes. I often serve his over some left over rice or pasta and top it off with a teaspoon or so of fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Yummy.
What a great idea to use this as an easy topper for rice or pasta!
Made this today using marjoram( which i add to most of my beef dishes) , thyme & 2 bay leaves as my seasonings. ..& OMG it’s delicious…I’m a soupy & to have a veg one that doesn’t leave me wanting some noodles, barley, or meat added is fantastic!! Thank you!! & easy to easily found on Myfitnesspal.com too!
Made this for my bible study group. It was a big hit !
I am so glad your group enjoyed this recipe Vicki!
Awesome sharing it with your Bible study group. God bless you.
What can I use instead of the beef broth? I am a vegetarian. Thank you!
Vegetable broth should be fine!
Made the soup and it was really great. My husband is even eating it, but he added ground turkey. He must have meat.
I’m Hooked On This Delicious Soup & Now Cooking More & Sharing With Everyone!!! It’s Too Darn Good Not To Be Shared!!! YUMMY!
Thank you Peggy!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!
Would this be ok to make in the crock pot?
Absolutely!
Love this soup!
How would you count on 21 day fix?
I measure out 1 green of vegetables in my green container and count the broth as free.
Seriously love this recipe! We make it all the time!! :)
yes, I did and it was pretty good if I must say myself, I made it for me and cooked my husband something different, I had to make a second batch because he was eating it also.